Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 23:37:35 EDT
From: VIHoa@aol.com
Subject: "The Entropy Saga Prologue"
Check me out! Hey everyone! It's me Phil, the author of "After 'N
SYNC." And I'm here with a brand new story, just for Halloween! I've been
putting my other story on hold for awhile now to write this one. I hope
you like it. Oh, and if some of this looks familiar to you... well it
should. The members of 'N SYNC in this story are those from Dave and Rob's
story: "'N SYNC and the Vamps." It's a new story staring the characters
created by Rob and Dave, with their full permission. So don't bitch at me
about it! I got their "okay." Anyways, it's a new story and the only
thing that carries over from "'N SYNC and the Vamps" are the guy's powers.
But I think I still kept the Buffy-esque mood. Any comments or such,
please send to vihoa@aol.com
Disclaimer: This story does not imply anything about the members of 'N SYNC
or Britney Spears. Which means that the relationships that exist in this
fantasy world MAY not carry into reality. Furthermore, if you think that
there are really monsters in Orlando and 'N SYNC are our only defense
against them... get help.
Disclaimer II: If you thought there was little sex in "'N SYNC and the
Vamps"... well, there's even less here. There might be some, but I make
no promises. It's not because I want to focus on the romance like everyone
else... no... I want to focus on the action and story! But there's still
some cute moments between JC and Lance. It's not as if they'll be prude
from now on. You'll have to keep on reading to see. Again, I hope y'all
like my story, there's a lot of effort in it.
I'd like to thank Rob and Dave for letting me use their characters in my
own story. Y'all are great, and awesome friends to get to know. Dave,
I'll get back to writing "After 'N SYNC" a.s.a.p. I know you want to know
about your boy Angel.
Another thanks goes out to David, for without him... there'd be no place
to submitt these stories or to read them. THANKS DUDE!
Thanks also goes out to everybody who reads the "boyband" section and Nifty
as a whole... especially those who read my stories! Thanks y'all!
Now.. on with the show!
The Entropy Saga: Prologue
All the freaks that lurked in the shadows of Orlando were out in
force that night, and all gathered in a single room for a horrifying
ritual.
It was called the THE NEXT BIG THING tryouts at The House of Blues.
Joshua Chasez, the Chosen One; with the strength and skills to rid
the world of evil, peered into the darkness, made somehow more dreary by
the spotlights illuminating one band after another, each more hopeful and
hopeless than the last. The crowd was made up of clean cut, white, 'N
SYNC/BSB/Britney Spears/Spice Girls-esque faces, dancing to their own pop
song which basically sounded like "Tearin' Up My Heart," "Everybody!
(Backstreet's Back)," "I Want You Back," "I Want It That Way," "Hit Me Baby
One More Time," or "Sometimes," only with a different tempo and different
lyrics. Each band had it's own following of stage mothers and sleazy
managers. All of them crowded into the relatively small club.
The place was rocking in between the bands when an actual song, by
a creditable pop act, played as the next wanna-be 'N SYNC set up. JC and
his friends were fortunate to have be chosen as celebrity judges. The
music wasn't all that bad, he was forced to admit. The sights were
fascinating, to say the least, and the company was, as always, the best
anyone could hope for.
It should have been a perfect evening. From the looks on his
friends' faces, it was exactly that for them. Lance, the only other human
capable of matching (not surpassing) JC's fighting abilities, decked out in
one of his tight knit, Armani sweaters, held tightly to JC's hand
underneath the table and bobbed his head to the beat.
Lance slowly turned to JC, his boyfriend, and started to converse
on the current band's performance. They were still at that stage where
everything they told each other was engaging. Justin remembered that
stage. Sitting next to Lance, he couldn't help but listen. He missed it.
And wondered, briefly, if he would ever be in a relationship that lasted
long enough to get past it. Perverse as it seemed to him, he liked the
idea of being in love with a girl so long that he could start taking her
for granted.
He missed it all, though. Missed getting dressed up for someone
besides himself, and living in that delicious limbo of anticipation that
having a real girlfriend was all about, not knowing what might happen next,
and thrilled by the uncertainty of it all. "Britney..." He murmured
softly. He suddenly realized what he just said and switched the tracks to
his "train of thought."
Justin looked on as the current band ended their song, acting as if
he was seriously focused on judging these young men; however, his mind was
elsewhere. He was mentally flipping through spells, memorizing those he
felt would be the most helpful if ever the threat of evil should ever rear
it's ugly head again.
To the rear of the table, sat Chris; with the abilities to mentally
transport objects and himself with just a thought, and Joey; the
shapeshifter. They were frantically scribbling something on their
notepads, occasionally giving each other hateful looks. Joey then looks up
towards his band mates and mouths, "A-6"
"YOU SUNK MY BATTLESHIP!!!" Chris exclaims jumping out of his
seat. The attention of everyone in the club turned to Chris, who then
apologized and sat back in his seat, face flushed with embarrassment. They
spent the remainder of their time there listening. Sometimes to Lance and
JC's conversation and sometimes to the band on stage. Relaxed. Enjoying
the feeling that they finally had some time without an apocalyptic event to
deal with. Joey's cell phone was on the table, and every few minutes he
glanced down at it. Finally he turned to Chris and said something, then
flicked it shut and put it in his backpack.
They were having a great time. They were pop stars after all. For
the past year or so, the world belonged to them. Why shouldn't they enjoy
it?
Perhaps, Justin thought as he watched his friends, it was a perfect
evening. It was possible, however painful, that he simply didn't know how
to enjoy just... being, anymore. He's been through a lot in the past
couple of months. They all have. The world that had once been strictly
confined to Halloween in their minds had suddenly become a year long event.
Justin feels as though he has been affected the most of all. He looked at
the world in a drastically different way now, then he did a year or two
ago. It made him dizzy and more than a bit confused.
"They're all so innocent," he thought, as he scanned the room of
pop hopefuls. "They're all so young."
Then he smiled grimly at himself. Maybe he'd passed innocent on
the road of life a long time ago, but young he could still lay claim to.
Sometimes it just didn't feel that way. Life was just starting for these
people. Who knew what fate had in store for them?
'N SYNC, on the other hand? Their fate was sealed.
JC looked up at Justin, saw him watching them, and smiled even as
he knitted his eyebrows in concern.
"Okay, Mr. Timberlake," JC said, "penny." His hair was still
slicked back, with his usual "poof" in the front. Still, his face was
older. He'd lost his boyish charm, that was for sure. He now had an aura
of maturity and responsibility. Not that he didn't have that before, but
now it was more distinguishable. He had definitely become the "dad."
Given the fact that he was still in baggy, wide-leg pants, and a Gap
T-shirt.
Justin shrugged. "Put away your hard-earned cash, JC. These
aren't thoughts anyone should pay for."
He gave Justin a look. Slowly nodded. "Yeah," he drawled, "the
band is bringing me down too. Their only redeeming social value is that
they're all clean-cut, all-American, boys-next-door." He snapped his head
toward Lance. "And there'll be no physical violence from you. I saw you
drooling at that 22 year-old with the red hair two acts ago."
Lance rolled his eyes. "Oh, please."
"Was he not?" JC flung at Justin, who glanced back toward JC and
lifted his brows. Obviously, he had not been listening. It was a fairly
common occurrence these days. One JC was dealing with fairly well--accent
on fairly.
Huffing, he squinted his eyes Chris. "He was drooling, right?"
Chris shrugged.
"God!" He sighed. "Y'all stick together like peanut butter and
fluff." JC's eyes flashed with mischief. "Which, come to think of it,
makes a sandwich."
"That's sick," Lance said. "You are disgusting."
"In your eyes, not necessarily a bad thing." He gave Lance a wink.
Lance looked up toward the ceiling as if his patience had flown
toward the light fixtures like a moth. "Ooh."
Justin smiled weakly, feeling sad and frumpy in jeans and a black
T-shirt.
And the act sang on.
"It's tearin' me up
Don't tell me you want it that way
You drive me crazy
But sometimes I laugh..."
Joey shrugged and said, "They're not so bad."
"Yeah, for a band that just butchered ours, BSB's, and Britney's
song and did the cut and paste." Chris said. "And where did they get those
clothes? That whole retro/seventies thing is so over." He then glanced at
Joey in a mod shirt and cords. "No offense."
Joey tilted his head. He wanted to take offense. He wanted to
rise to the challenge and lob something back at Chris. But he couldn't
seem to muster up the energy. He half smiled and took a sip from his iced
latte. Where it had sat, there was a light condensation ring on the table.
Iced latte. Nonfat milk. Maybe the caffeine would get him back in the
witty mood.
"Whoa." Chris frowned. "Are you sick or something?"
Joey looked at him questioningly.
"Well, I didn't mean that as an insult, but you're usually so...
quick with a comeback, y'know?"
"I've been tired. We just came off of a tour of Europe and
Southeast Asia, and laid down enough tracks to circle the world twice. I'm
just waiting for this to be over with so we can take that break they've
been promising us." Joey explained.
"Heard from Britney?" Lance asked Justin.
He shook his head. "I told her to call only if there's an
emergency." Finally he smiled. "You know, like if she ran out of
something pink and skimpy to wear."
They all chuckled. Britney Spears was at the a swanky New York
film festival, promoting a her new film, in which she plays a highschool
cheerleader who discovers that she has the supernatural powers to help
combat the forces of evil. The idea for the movie followed on the heels of
discovering that five of her best friends were actually experiencing the
real thing. With the boy's blessing to do a movie similar to what they had
first experienced a year ago, she took the idea and ran with it. Months of
hard work and long hours later, she is in New York among Hollywood's elite.
"She'll be back later tonight, or early tomorrow." Justin
informed.
"Good, 'cause I missed her," Chris said simply, getting stares from
everyone. "I was thinking this morning about if and when this pop craze
blows over and... y'know, what will become of us. It'll be weird not
seeing or talking with her on an almost daily basis."
"We'll still hang out with Lil' Miss Britney," Justin said quickly.
Too quickly. JC watched Justin's face as he followed that thought through
to its natural conclusion. After another form of music takes the place of
Pop, it seemed likely that they would all disconnect themselves from any
other contacts and devote the rest of their lives to protecting the world,
or at least he would... being The Chosen One and all.
It was obvious that everyone came to the same conclusion as he did.
Their faces slowly got more and more depressed by the minute. They
realized that it wasn't as if they could graduate and get a "Slayer
Diploma." They were chosen. Them five alone will stand against the
vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. They are The Slayers.
"Can we... like get out of here somehow?" Chris whispered.
"No, we've gotta pick a winner." JC informed.
"They look good." Lance suggested.
"HEY YOU! YEAH YOU! YOU WIN! CONGRATS!!!!" Joey announced.
Sirens wailed, balloons dropped, and people cheered as 'N SYNC quickly made
their way out the backdoor of the club.
They all left together, JC heading the parade with Justin in tow.
On the stage, some poor fools were getting heckled for claiming that they
deserved to win, not realizing that grunge was so over. There were kids in
the audience who had still been in diapers when Seattle was the alt-rock
destination of choice.
Outside, they swept past the new bouncer and then turned right to
trudge over to an alley which was the one spot where Lance and Justin could
usually find a parking space.
JC lifted his face to the night breeze. He could smell fresh
water, as from a river or lake Buena Vista, and for a moment he thought of
D.C. and his long-ago, "normal" life, when being the Chosen One meant you
were going to have to move to Orlando and work as a children's television
star on a comedy variety show, not a lifetime's supply of holy water and
enough garlic to open up your own Italian restaurant.
Under his breath, Lance was singing "EVERYBODY!!! You Drive Me
Crazy When You're Tearin' Up My Heart," and Justin realized that, as bad as
the band had been, the song was actually kind of memorable. In a
melancholy, rip-off kind of way.
They were halfway down the alley when something scrabbled along the
roof of the House of Blues. They all glanced up at the thing, which darted
along, leaving behind a shadowed blur.
In the distance, a woman started screaming.
Without hesitation, the five of them fanned out. Chris unzipped
his backpack and pulled out five wooden stakes and threw them to the
others. They all held out their weapons, ready to pummel it into something
nasty. "A good workman always comes with his tools." Chris reminded,
while smiling.
"Help!" someone shrieked. "Oh, my God!"
JC's legs pumped as he covered ground almost as fast as the
others. Together, they rounded a corner, and sprinted toward a screaming
woman. But Joey was in lead. Before turning the corner, his eyes started
to glow a bright shade of yellow. Short hairs started to grow around his
face, arms, and legs. His feet and hands shrunk as his body and skeletal
structure began to disfigure. In a matter of moments, he had become a
jungle cheetah, ready for the kill. The woman took one glance at Joey
during his metamorphosis and ran in the opposite direction. JC saw this,
but wasn't concerned. If the woman could run, she was basically unhurt.
It was time to redirect their focus on whatever had attacked her.
Then Chris heard the scrabbling noise from above. He immediately
transported himself to the roof. A light blue aura surround him as he
slowly demolecularize into thin air. As his body quickly vanished from the
alley like dust blowing in the wind. A blue light simultaneously appears
on the roof top and Chris slowly imerges from it. There it was. The
monster was back on the roof. Lance came and stood beside JC, and they
watched it as it rushed back across the tops of the buildings. "Heads up!"
Chris yelled down towards the alley. Joey growled fiercely as Lance and JC
both looked up. The monster swiftly leaped from the building Chris was on,
to the building on the other side of the alley.
As it flew across, JC quickly armed himself with a stake and swung
up into the air. The stake shot out of his hand with incredible force and
flew straight up. Miraculously, the monster was quick enough to twist his
body in mid-air and dodge the stake. JC, Lance, Justin, and Joey watched
in amazement. Out of all of them, JC, being the Chosen One, by far had the
best aim. Frustrated and shocked JC yelled, "Chris! Get me up there!" A
blue aura appeared around JC, similar to that of Chris and he too
demolecularized. Watching from the alley bellow, Lance could see Chris and
JC jump onto the building that the monster had went to. By this time, it
had already taken off.
Joey came out of his beastial stage and returned to human form. He
and Lance began to run to the fire escape that lead up the side of the
building that JC and Chris were ontop of, but looked back to see Justin
kneeling on the ground. A strong wind poured into the alley, blowing
litter and leaves around. Justin's low chanting could barely be heard but
the impact of his words were definitely there. Windows along the alley
began to rattle as a white light began to engulf him. Lance and Joey stood
in awe as their long time friend casts his spell. Justin's eyes quickly
fly open as he turns his head to look at Lance. A powerful blow hit Lance
as he was knocked off of his feet. He slammed into a nearby wall and was
pressed against it. Amazingly, it didn't hurt. In actuality, Lance felt
himself getting stronger. Joey was unaware of this and screamed at Justin.
"Justin! What the fuck are you doing? He's you're team mate! He's your
friend!" Justin continued looking at Lance for a few more seconds before
turning towards Joey, who too got knocked off his feet. After a few more
moments. Justin closed his eyes and his body shot into the air. High
above the alley, Justin spotted JC and Chris still searching the roof top
for any sign of the monster. Justin proceeded to do the same to JC and
Chris as he did Joey and Lance. Weakened, Justin loses his power and falls
from the sky. Chris quickly got onto his feet and transported Justin in
mid-air. He then places him safely on the ground.
Justin quickly recovered only to find the others watching over him.
"Damn Justin! What the hell was that?" Justin shook his head and was
helped to his feet by Lance.
"Sorry, but I just had to cast this spell on you guys. It's a
collective spell. I chose three of the powers that was most important to
all of us and infused y'all with it. From now, until the time I break the
spell, we are as swift, skillful, and strong as JC, quick with weapons and
resourceful as Lance, and my ability to use and understand magik. Oh, JC
and Lance... your powers are now doubled, along with mine." Justin
explained to everyone's amazement.
Suddenly, a familiar scrabbling noise came from above.
The monster was back up there. The five of them watched as it
rushed back and forth, across the tops of the buildings. It seemed to fly,
or leap, almost like a flying squirrel, a long coat or cloak billowing out
behind it.
"It's Batman!" Joey said.
"I don't think so," Chris replied grimly.
It was heading back towards them. The others must have realized
for they all jumped into a fighting stance and stood back to back.
"Pitiful fools! You are no match for me!!!" A deep, evil voice
said, echoing through the alley. The guys quickly looked around the alley
for the source of the sound. Then it came back, this time chanting.
"Xanotos, xanotos, xanotos, xanotos..."
A burst of indescribable pain shot into their stomachs, causing the
five of them to quickly fall onto their knees. The pain being inflicted on
them was excruciating. One by one, they grabbed their stomachs to try to
calm the pain. It didn't work. A gagging feeling began to overcome them
as he helplessly opened their mouths. Pouring out from them, came a
glowing green liquid. The five of them vomited without being able to stop.
The neon green liquid poured out of their mouths and onto the
ground as the chanting continued. "Xanotos, xanotos, xanotos..."
Joey could feel himself getting weaker. It was if his soul, his
very essence was being thrown out of his body in the form of a glowing
green bile.
"You are now powerless. All your natural abilities are gone...
as will you five be in a matter of moments." Fear crippled them as they
all felt weaker. Chris tried his best to transport himself and his friends
to safety but couldn't. Joey wasn't able to use his powers either.
"Justin!" Joey said, "Yo J! Do that wacky voodoo that you do...
Justin?" Joey and the others quickly turned around to find their friend
passed out on the ground. The curse cast upon them must have had a
different affect on Justin. He laid on the ground motionless, yet still
breathing. His face was in contortions from the pain that still ravaged
him. Lance immediately picked his friend up, cradled him in his arms, and
brought his defensive to maximum level.
"Run!" JC shouted.
The shape soared into the air above them, cloak unfurling like
giant bat's wings. It's head fell back as it sailed, and a plume of blue
flames erupted from it's mouth.
"Yow!" Chris exclaimed. "Name that demon!"
It landed heavily on a building on the other side of the street,
its hands making a terrible scraping sound like fingernails on a chalkboard
as it clung itself to the roof. JC followed it with his eyes, but it was
almost impossible to make it out in the darkness. It stood far back on the
roof and seemed to regard them for a moment. Then it rushed toward the
edge of the roof, passing beneath a series of overhanging lights so fast
the effect was like a strobe.
"Run," JC shouted to the others. "Now!"
Chris, powerless, broke ranks first. With a look of fear, he
turned around and ran back towards the House of Blues. Two mistakes in
one. The first was running. The second was running away from the others.
The thing threw itself off the roof and dove after him. More flame
shot from its mouth, lighting up Chris' retreat as well as the thing
itself. It was manlike, with a hideous, fanged mouth, black eyes like
holes in its pale, imp-like face, and pointed ears, and it was wearing some
kind of black cloak.
Pretty, it was not.
"Chris!" Joey shouted, racing after him.
"No, Joey!" JC cried, and sped up, his lungs burning now as he
caught up to where Lance stood, cradling Justin, trying to figure out what
to do next. JC solved the problem for them. "Don't move!" he snapped.
Chris glanced back at Joey, then up at his pursuer and screamed.
Joey reached Chris just as JC caught up with him. He grabbed
Joey's arm, holding him back, and yanked him hard out of his way. JC was
the Chosen One. He was supposed to keep the others safe. Keep them all
out of harm's way. Joey lost his footing and went down hard. JC tried to
leap over him, but his legs became tangled up in Joey's fall, and he went
down as well. It took him a moment to free himself. JC leaped to his feet
as the creature settled down to the street between him and Chris.
It opened it's mouth as if in a roar, and a volley of flame shot
from its gullet and caught Chris on his backpack. Instantly, his hands
flailing in utter panic. The thing reached out for him, and its talons
snagged his shirt, tearing the fabric. Chris barely noticed as he batted
at his backpack, but from one small scratch on his back, he'd begun to
bleed.
Then Lance vaulted past JC. He reached Chris first and pulled him
down onto the pavement, where he covered Chris with his body, smothering
the flames.
The monster turned to face JC. Inhuman eyes wide, it seemed to
examine him. It lifted its right hand to it mouth and licked Chris' blood
off the single talon with which it had scratched him. JC raised his stake.
The thing ignored him, turning its attention back to Chris.
"Hey ugly!" JC snarled as he went after it. "You're gonna hurt my
feelings if you keep this up."
Then, somehow, Joey was in front of him, between JC and the
monster, going after it. He reached out, got hold of its lack cloak, and
tugged.
The thing turned, opened it mouth...
"Joey!" JC shouted and tackled him. Hard.
Blue flame crackled as it jetted from the thing's mouth, burning
the air above them as they tumbled to the pavement. A second later and it
would have been Joey's face crackling with fire.
"Ow, damn it!" Joey shouted.
But JC was already up and swinging. He connected with the monster.
It looked like a tall, thin man, and as it opened its mouth, he landed a
savage roundhouse kick to the side of the monster's face. It howled and
staggered backward, raking the air between them with hands that ended in
thick, metallic talons. Flame vomited from its mouth.
JC ducked, bent sideways, and snapped her left leg up straight and
hard, catching the thing in its midsection.
The thing was momentarily off balance. Lance rushed it from the
side and slammed it against the metal siding of the warehouse behind it.
It fell to one side, violently crashing into a line of trash cans, which
spread their refuse over the sidewalk.
Quickly, instinctively, JC and Lance moved into position, trapping
the thing between them. He looked at Lance; he nodded once at JC, and they
attacked from either side. But as they rushed it, the monster rose to its
feet, bent its legs, and leaped up, soaring into the air. It landed on the
hood of a Toyota fifteen yards away. Metal squealed and crunched beneath
its weight.
"Oh, my God," Lance said, as he and JC started after it.
It sprang against the side of the building and crawled up it like a
lizard, arms and legs scrabbling furiously. It reached the edge of the
overhanging roof, grabbed it, launched itself up and over it, and continued
on. In a few seconds it was gone.
The squeal of metal was like an echo of the "music" pulsating from
the open door of the House of Blues down the street.
Another squeal, like a horrid guitar riff.
Then nothing.
Catching his breath, JC jogged toward Chris. "Is he okay?" he
called, passing the others.
Joey was on his knees, cradling Chris' head in his lap. "Yeah, no
thanks to you," he snapped, glaring up at him. "God JC! I was there.
Why'd you knock me down?"
"I was worried that..." he said, and then stopped. It had been
reflex, pure and simple, that had made him push Joey out of his way. He
hadn't thought about it. He had simply done it. The second time, he's
saved him from getting his face scorched. But the first, it was just...
he was The Chosen One.
"If you had just let me help him instead of making me scrape up my
arms until they looked like hamburger meat, he wouldn't have burns on his
body, lookin' like burnt steak," Joey continued.
"Oh, no!" Chris wailed, feeling the pain course through his body.
"No!"
Joey glared up at JC.
"No," JC blurted defensively. "I had to--" He held out his hands.
"I've never seen anything like that creature before. I didn't want any of
you getting hurt."
"I was doing just fine. It's not like I can't hold my own." He
raised his chin, very angry, very protective as he cradled Chris. "God,
JC, letting this Chosen One thing getting to your head much? We're not
powerless you know... we were chosen too."
"Joey!" Lance said, shocked, as he breathlessly joined the group.
"Actually Joey... I think we are..." Justin said, staggering out
of a dark corner that Lance had set him down in. "Powerless I mean... I
think we've lost our natural powers, meaning that you can't morph and Chris
can't transport anymore. My powers are still here, but weak, I can't do
anything without the book anymore... not even a simple flame," Justin
sighed. "However... I think we all still have JC's, Lance's, and some of
my skills.
They weren't given to you naturally. It was with my magik. We may
still have a chance."
JC looked away, into the darkness where the monster had retreated.
Lance came up beside him. "You did what you had to do," he said
to his boyfriend.
He slumped, turned, and started walking home.
Alone.
To be continued...
Okay. If that wasn't full of verbiage, then I don't know what it.
I hoped y'all like my own story based on the characters that Dave and Rob,
the authors of "'N SYNC and the Vamps" created. There's still a lot of
story for me to tell and I hope y'all come back for more. Chapter One is
getting written and you read this! Send all comments to vihoa@aol.com